Training With Naigus
by Ches Skelington
Summary: This takes place a while after The Battle of Jetty Very skip-able unless you like This is a filler until for if i ever continue using the Basically just Ches and Gwen learning how to fight together
1. Chapter 1

3

Training with Naigus chapter 1

"No Gwen you are putting too much enfaces on the first part of Ches's shield." Naigus yelled.  
"I know I know you told me a thousand times." Gwen shouted back charging Naigus.

Naigus had a knife tip was sticking out of the top of her right hand. Naigus had been chosen to be Ches and Gwen's teacher when the two weapons had become partners. They have been working together for about a month but to Naigus's displeasure they weren't progressing much. They fought well but they weren't advancing each was using the weapon of the other like it was just a normal weapon. There was no wavelength involved in their fighting, and to top it off they weren't trying to fight beyond the basics.

"Come on Gwen communicate with your partner." Naigus said while yet again for the umpteenth time dodging one of Gwen's punches bouncing away.  
Gwen looked into the curve of the inside of the shield to look at her partner. Ches just shrugged. Gwen sighed. "He isn't much help here!" Gwen shouted at Naigus who had disappeared into the trees

"Come on Ches you are the weapon you should know what is possible to do as a shield." Naigus shouted her position was undiscoverable. No matter how hard Gwen looked or listened she could not find even a hint of where Naigus lay waiting.  
"That is an assassin's weapon for you." Gwen thought to herself  
"Gwen lets switch." Ches spoke from within his shield. His form started to glow as he shifted from shield to human, Gwen did the reverse.

He was thinking about what Naigus had said, to think of an unconventional way to use the weapon in his hand. He took a closer look at the scythe in his hands taking in every detail, from the reversed blade to the chain connecting the top to the bottom. Taking a closer look he realized that the blade was made of obsidian.

It was then when Naigus struck, pulling back her arm preparing to leave a minor cut on his right shoulder. They were her students after all she didn't want to kill them. Ches instinctively transformed his right forearm and left arm letting go of the scythe with his left hand, he choked up on the pole bringing his right hand up to the base of the blade lining the pole up with the length of his forearm.

Naigus's blade connected with the pole of the scythe, and slid off to connect with the armored right shoulder. As it hit Ches's shoulder he turned allowing Naigus to sail past him. She quickly regained her footing and turned to face her students. Her eyes were wide with surprise she was sure that the attack would have hit. But then she smiled under the bandages over her face.

"Well done Ches. That was a… most odd way of deflecting an attack." Naigus praised her student  
Ches looked down at his hand. He was as surprised as Naigus.  
"So it's ok that I transformed my shoulder?" He questioned his teacher.  
"Yes Ches. The way a weapon and meister fight is by working together, and since you two are both weapons then you should utilize that to your advantage." Naigus explained to her skeptical student. "That is enough training for today the sun is going down. Go home and celebrate your success." Naigus gave a short bow and started walking back to her home with Sid her meister.

Gwen was upset. She was upset that Ches had made a breakthrough before her. She was naturally competitive and didn't like to get second place. She told Ches after giving him a punch in the arm for a congratulation that she wanted to go for a walk and that she would be back home later. The boy said ok and walked on to their home.

He wasn't worried. Gwen often went off on her own for exercise or to work out. Plus he knew that if anyone tried to mess with her that they would be in for the surprise of their lives. He laughed as the image of two thugs wetting their pants in freight of his partner popped into his head. He pulled out his headphones and started on home.

Gwen had been jogging aimlessly around Death city for a while now trying to think of a creative way to use a shield as a weapon. Try as she might all that came to her mind was using it to hit stuff. She was a very direct kind of person. After jogging for an hour she gave up and just howled at the moon which seemed to be laughing at her. When Gwen finished her primal yell she looked around to find that she had wound up in front of the DWMA. She also found that she had startled Maka and Crona who seemed to be also coming to the DWMA from a walk around the city. Crona was cowering behind Maka from the roar to the heavens.

Gwen scratched her head awkwardly. "Sorry just a bit frustrated, I needed to let off some steam."  
Crona relaxed noticeably, having realized that the toned girl's anger wasn't directed at him.  
"What's bothering you?" Maka asked

Scratching her head Gwen answered. "Well Naigus has been telling me and Ches to think of some more creative ways to use each other as weapons. Ches just had a breakthrough today using both me and his armored shoulder to guard. The problem is I just can't think of any new way to use his shield form besides to punch stuff and block." She sighs. "I thought jogging might jog my mind into action. It usually worked back when I went to a normal high school."

Maka took her chin in her left thinking. Then Crona hesitantly piped up.  
"Y-you could try the l-library. They h-have tons of books on different f-fighting styles." The shy boy quickly hid behind Maka afraid that Gwen would think his idea was stupid and hit him for it. Crona suddenly hunched over seemingly from pain.

"Hah! That's your big idea you dung head. Read books. What do you want to bore the cow to death?" Ragnarock had popped out of Crona's back and was now pushing on his abused head. Gwen visibly jumped surprised at the sudden appearance of the ill-tempered weapon.  
"What the heck is that?" Gwen asked eyes wide.  
"That" Maka said with a certain sharpness in her voice that made Ragnarock stop teasing Crona and look up. "Is Crona's weapon Ragnarock. He was melted down and used to replace Crona's blood by the witch Medusa."  
Gwen shrugs she was starting to get used to the odd people of the DWMA. "Ok I guess I will try the library out it isn't like anything else is working."

Maka nods excitedly. Grabbing ahold of Crona's hand again Maka started off to the school.


	2. Chapter 2

Training with Naigus chapter 2

The two meisters and the weapon had been sitting in the library for about an hour looking through the piles of books that Maka and Crona had picked out for Gwen. Maka with her love of books had picked out stacks of books each as tall as her arms are long. Crona on the other hand picked out more specific books.

It had taken him a while to learn how to deal with all the books in the library when he first came back to the DWMA. It got easier once Kid Death had told him the way to deal with the books was to read them one by one. After that the library became his second home outside of his 'Cro'ner in his room. He has now read about half of the contents of the library, he had to make a deal with Ragnorock to keep him quite when he was in the library. The deal was every time he went to the library he would buy Ragnarock a slice of a triple layer dark chocolate cake.

Maka's stacks of books had everything to do with every time period, of course this included what they were looking for, the different fighting styles but it also included every bit of useless info including different recipes from the time periods. Crona' stack consisted of books on the different fighting styles.

"Ugh this is taking forever." Gwen slammed her head into the book on ancient Greek warriors she had been reading. Maka had the idea to start as far in the past as they could go and work their way forward.  
"Just give it a little while longer Gwen you can't expect for the answer to fall from the sky and land in your hands" Maka answered not looking up from her book on Roman salad recipes.  
Crona had made it farther into history than the other two because of his condensed more focused stack. "Umm w-why don't y-you try this b-book Gwen" Crona timidly slides her book he was reading.  
"Fine but if I don't find anything in this book I am giving up for today." Gwen lets out an exasperated sigh taking the book sliding it closer to her face.

On the cover was a blood splattered medieval knight holding a flag up and looking all kinds of superior. Gwen raised an eyebrow glancing at the timid boy. He did not seem to be the kind of person into these kinds of books. Shrugging Gwen turns back to her reading. Skimming through half of it the book was going fast. Too much text and way too many thy and thou for her taste. Half way through the end she happened upon some diagrams.

Gwen's eyes shot open as she saw the figures that showed her what the hundreds of pages tried to explain in words. The diagrams showed every level that knights went through from page to full on king's personal guard. She didn't bother looking past page knowing that there was too advanced for her to try… for now. Before she was a weapon Gwen was an athlete by trade. She learned to tell when she needed more training before she could even attempt it.

To her the pages looked beautiful in their fighting stances their shielded arm facing forward sword arm hidden behind the shield keeping whoever they would face from being able to tell how they were going to strike. It did look a bit awkward the way they were standing, but some of the strikes the diagrams showed looked like the way she and Ches already fought. Using quick spins, flicks, or flips to bring more force into their blows despite their lack of muscle mass.

She would have to do something about the legwork. That kind of movement would have worked way back when but it just wasn't going to cut it in a fight nowadays. Quickly Gwen scanned the spines of the two different stacks of books that the two had brought to her, grinning she snatched what she was looking for causing the stack of books to create an avalanche. It was a diagram book for the martial arts. Skimming through the book several times looking for some type of legwork that she thought she could do she slammed her finger down on the book yelling out causing Maka to jump looking up from her cookbook.

Gwen brought the knight book closer to the martial arts book comparing the two stances. Maka and Crona came over looking over the excited girl's shoulders. Gwen was quickly analyzing the two diagrams looking for weaknesses and strengths. With a shout of triumph she snapped the two books shut, and brought them to the snoozing librarian. (He was about to leave for his home and warm bed before the three came in.)

Dropping the books in front of him startling him awake she asked. "Could I please check these two books out?"  
"Of course you can." The librarian sleepily replied. He was smiling because he knew this meant that he was now going to be able to go to bed. He quickly did the necessary steps to let the girl take the books home and told her good night. He turned to leave, but didn't get to take a single step. He fell asleep on the spot falling to the ground.  
Gwen started for the exit turning to Crona and Maka the two still looking confused. "Bye guys I think I have got something. Thanks for all the help." She did a quick turn and ran out the exit heading home.  
"Do you have any idea what it was she figured out?" Crona quietly asked Maka.  
"I have no idea." The scythe meister answered. The books were just too different for her to connect them together. Shaking her head she turned to Crona. "Let's just go to bed."  
Crona went back to his dungeon and Maka started the long walk back to her apartment with Soul.

On the way home Gwen had been looking at the two books, planning how to combine the two styles of fighting together. By the time she got to the door of her and Ches's apartment she had figured it all out. When she opened the door she was greeted with a loud outburst.

"Die! Die! Die! What? You stupid cheater you can't do that!"  
Gwen walked to the living room knowing what she will find. Ches was sitting on the couch playing their PS3. As she turned the corner she was greeted with the sight of Ches's character getting dealt a deathblow. He let out a giant huff and turned to face his partner.  
"Hey Gwen you want to play co-op?" The boy picked up a second controller and was waving it in the air. Frowning Gwen answered. "Co-op no." Ches lowered his head in disappointment.  
Gwen then let a giant toothy grin fight its way to her face. "But I would happily play VS."  
Ches replied to her grin with one of his own. "Be prepared to lose."

For the three straight hours the two fought each feeling the excitement of winning and the sting of defeat. Ches needless to say felt the sting more often than not.


	3. Chapter 3

Training with Naigus chapter 3

The next morning when Ches woke up he could feel something pressing against his left cheek. Opening his eyes he found that it was one of Gwen's heels. The other was in his rib cage. Letting out a soft chuckle he gradually lifted her foot careful not to disturb his sleeping partner. Siting up Ches rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

Looking at his partner he couldn't help but laugh. She was sprawled out over the couch, one arm dangling of the edge the other over her stomach, her belly button showing. Tenderly, Ches tugged her shirt back down, got the living room blanket, and tossed it over her sleeping form. Getting up he stretched cracking his back, shoulders, elbows, knuckles, knees, and even ankles, then he went to the kitchen to make some of the special coffee blend that BJ had given him and Gwen as a house warming gift.

Stirring Gwen woke to the smell of coffee causing her mouth to water. Jumping up she ran skidding on her socks to the kitchen eager for the life giving beverage. Trying and failing on the tile floor of the kitchen to skid to a stop Gwen collided with Ches causing the two to flop to the floor. Not pausing for a second she jumped back up struggling to regain traction she started again for the coffee leaving Ches groaning on the floor. Just another day in their happy home.

After that the two sat around playing video games or watching TV until twelve when they had lunch and prepared to go train with Naigus.

"You two are late" Naigus mused as the partners entered their training field in the woods. Really it was about the size of a small room with dense trees surrounding it for Naigus's assassin tactics. Not suited very well for Gwen's usual hot tempered tactics.  
"By one minute Naigus give us a break." Ches groaned letting his head fall back to stare at the sky.  
"Fine as long as you two show me some progress today I won't make you jog one thousand and three hundred laps around the school." Naigus answered shaking her head slowly.  
Gwen punched Ches in the shoulder whispering to him. "I told you we shouldn't have stopped for sea-salt ice cream."  
"Sorry but you were the one with the sudden craving." Ches punched back.  
Naigus cleared her throat catching the two's attention.

"Well are you two ready?" the trained assassin was already in form her knife blade already sprouting from her fist.  
"Just let us get into form." Gwen called to their teacher.

Ches was already transforming sensing the change of attitude in his partner. Gwen grabbed ahold of the grip of the shield swinging it into position with ease. But this time was different instead of keeping Ches at her side ready to use him more like you would use Pot of Thunder or Pot of Fire she brought the shield in front of her with her own fist in her face. Turning on her right heel she brought her left foot behind her, her stance hid her entire body from view of her opponent including her feet. Twisting her left arm behind her in complete opposite of her right arm, she positioned it to point to the ground. Her obsidian blade sprung out of her forearm, she was ready.

Naigus raised a single eyebrow. "_This is new. She usually just comes charging ahead pulling back for a punch."_

Ches was surprised but not by much. He could tell from the moment she walked up to the door of their apartment that she had come up with something nodding at her from within the shield he sat back to watch what his partner had done.

Slowly Gwen started circling Naigus, her feet crossing over each other but never tangling and always hidden. Slower Gwen approached Naigus while keeping up the circular stalking. From shier guess work Gwen figured she was close enough to Naigus to strike. Pulling a quick maneuver she saw in the book on medieval knights she spun bringing her left hand around for a back hand slash at Naigus which missed only because of Naigus's experience in the field.

Naigus and Ches both saw the flaw in Gwen's new fighting style. Sure he opponent couldn't see what Gwen was planning but Gwen too was blinded to her opponent's moves. Naigus watched her two pupils curious of to how they would overcome this obstacle. As she watched the painted design on the front of a toothy Cheshire cat grin opened revealing a piercing green eye.

Gwen as she stared ahead trying to figure out what to do saw an image of Naigus started to come into focus on the inside of the shield. Grinning Ches appeared near her fist nodding welcome to her. Gwen gave a grin back, now it was a new game. Gwen resumed her circling stalk of Naigus the image on the inside of the shield showed her everything in front of her.

The sparing session continued for around twelve more minutes like this Gwen was able to cut Naigus's clothes a few times and was actually able to land a few good cuts on her arms, while none on Naigus's attacks were able to get past the armored wall that Ches made. This was quite the opposite of the pair's normal training usually they were the ones covered with scratches and bruises while Naigus remained unscathed.

"_Time to really test them." _Naigus thought seconds before she jumped into the foliage behind her completely disappearing from the two's sight.  
The eye in the shield was now darting in every direction trying to catch a glimpse of the assassin to no avail.  
"Gah, how are we supposed to fight her if we can't find her?" Gwen groaned resting her head on the cool metal that covered her right hand. Ches was silent for a few moments giving Gwen a few moments to catch her breath, it seemed that Naigus was just waiting to see what they would do.

Closing the eye of the shield Ches spoke. "Gwen I think I have a solution it might make you uncomfortable for a second but I need you to relax and keep calm. Okay?"  
Gwen nodded, and cringed a few seconds later. The strap of the shield that helped keep her arm fashioned to the shield tightened around her wrist.

"Sorry." Ches spoke loosening the strap a little around her wrist. Soon blue ripples of light started to play across the entire shield. At first they were erratic having no point of origin or rhythm. Slowly the ripples started to form a pattern forming from the top of the shield where Gwen's hand was located the painted heart on the shield was now pulsing letting out the midnight blue pulsations in time with Gwen's heartbeat. The light flowed down the shield and across the ground spreading out across the clearing covering everything and bouncing back from everything they hit.

Gwen started to slowly move across the edge of the clearing keeping her shield in between her and the shrubbery. Suddenly lashing out Gwen cut a tree down in one swipe of her hand causing it to fall and Naigus to jump out of it landing in the middle of the clearing. Gwen quickly spun leveling her scythe blade centimeters away from Naigus's unprotected neck. The student had won the spar. Ches transformed back into his human form while Gwen lost her scythe blade. The two bowed to their teacher while Naigus bowed back to her students.

As they all walked back, Naigus had a few questions for her students.  
"Where did you come up with that form Gwen? I don't think I have ever seen something like that before."  
"I got it from some books that Maka and Crona showed me in the library. I combined some martial arts footwork with a medieval knight's fighting technique." Gwen answered grinning with both of her arms behind her head, looking quite proud of herself.  
"Very nice, but how was it that you knew where I was Gwen? I didn't hear Ches tell you I was in that tree." Naigus asked.  
"I don't really know how I knew I just… knew."  
Blushing Ches gave the two women the answer. "I had used my _'Soul Empathy'._"  
The two female weapons turned to look at the embarrassed weapon. He really didn't like people to focus in on him.

"So basically you reversed your ability to tell what others are feeling to tell Gwen what you wanted her what you knew." Naigus mused at her pupel.  
"Ya it's also how I knew that Gwen needed a way to see what was in front of her at first." Ches said glancing away.  
"So that was what that eye was, a way for Gwen to see past you. Not to mention unnerve me."  
"What? You were scared of the eye?" Ches was a bit surprised. "I know it was creepy but not that much. I thought you would be used to something like that what with Ragnarock around."  
Chuckling Naigus answered. "Was pretty creepy, now what flavor ice cream do you want? I'm buying."  
Grinning the two students looked at each other and shouted together as Gwen draped her arm over Ches's shoulder. "SEA-SALT ICE CREAM!"


End file.
